HOOVER, Ala. — Tony Vitello couldn't explain it, other than it felt right.

Sophomore pitcher Marcus Phillips had a textbook seventh inning out of the bullpen in relief of Zander Sechrist, sitting Vanderbilt's lineup down in order with Tennessee holding a four-run lead in an SEC Tournament semifinal game at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.

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When Phillips trotted out to the mound in the eighth, the Vols' offense had provided him with some insurance. But Phillips, who had appeared in a combined 1.1 innings in SEC play during the regular season, ran into trouble.

The Commodores plated a run, then loaded the bases with two outs. Dylan Loy was warming up in the bullpen, but Vitello decided to stick with Phillips. He got out of the inning without further damage, then pulled off another escape act in the ninth to preserve a 6-4 Tennessee win and send the Vols to their second tournament championship game in three years.

"Though one to answer (on why Phillips stayed in the game) other than just gut feel," Vitello said. "You know, we had (Loy) down there hot. And (Phillips) was even told, 'You're going to get this guy.' And then we just stuck with him...He certainly made it difficult to take him out after that first inning, but there were some dicey moments in there where obviously we're glad we stuck with him. He grew up a lot today. It was good."

On undoubtedly the biggest stage of his Tennessee career to this point, Phillips delivered. For his teammates, it was the kind of performance he was due for.

Phillips has made 15 appearances in his first season with the Vols since transferring from Iowa Western Community College last offseason, with all but one coming in relief.

He showed promise in arguably the Vols' biggest series win of the season against Kentucky in Lexington on April 21, going 0.1 inning and getting Tennessee out of trouble in a 13-11 rubber-match victory, but he further proved his value on Saturday.

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Phillips touched 100 mph on the radar gun on one pitch that resulted in a strikeout. He hit 98 on two other pitches. In that bases-loaded jam, he effortlessly gloved a hard-hit ball and jogged over to Blake Burke for the third out to leave Vanderbilt frustrated, but in awe.

"That's a really good arm. I mean, (Phillips) is a guy that, if you look up in two or three years, you're going to see him on TV, probably out of a bullpen," Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin said. "It's really, really hard stuff. It seems to me like there's not a lot of effort to what he does and he's wild enough to keep you honest in the batters box. You're not sitting in there. You're not comfortable...

"I was hoping that we could break him, but credit him, he was tough down the stretch and they rode him, they needed to. I mean, 42 pitches deep, I mean, he did a good job for them."

The SEC Tournament has served as an opportunity for several of Tennessee's arms to get some work ahead of the NCAA Tournament.

Thanks to Phillips' outing, the Vols have a few more options heading into its championship bout with 11-seed LSU (3 p.m. ET, ESPN2) on Sunday.

"That's something that we've been waiting for for the whole season, for (Phillips) to come out there and just do him and throw 98 and be that guy for us," Tennessee second baseman Christian Moore said. "He did it tonight and we're so grateful for him."

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